In 2009, I was working as a Program Controller for a Fortune 500 government contractor. My position oversaw several components of a DoD contract, which was established to integrate and maintain Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles used during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
Given the political environment at the time, there was significant discussion regarding how quickly these programs would be phased out and how the company could maintain its operations and labor base in the region. As the Project Controller’s Business Strategy Representative, I was heavily engaged in the discussions aimed at solving this issue. With 100% of the business unit’s contracts coming from federal or local governments, and approximately 90% when looking at the company as a whole, there was very little experience in pursuing and winning commercial business.
For the first few months, moderate victories were made in expanding the current footprint of the business unit’s federal business. However, given the pressure on the contract pipeline, more needed to be done. During this time I began to regularly attended meetings at the Charleston Business Leads Association (CBLA) in order to ingrain myself into the local business environment and evaluate potential opportunities. It was at a meeting that I spoke to a Boeing employee who informed me of an issue facing him in regards to the …show more content…
After considerable discussion and defining how this deal could be presented, the decision was made to proceed. Although I proposed the idea, it was largely due to very strong business development, contract and pricing teams that enabled a signed contract 10 weeks later. Even though I am no longer with the company, the relationship to provide these services to Boeing still exists to this
Given the political environment at the time, there was significant discussion regarding how quickly these programs would be phased out and how the company could maintain its operations and labor base in the region. As the Project Controller’s Business Strategy Representative, I was heavily engaged in the discussions aimed at solving this issue. With 100% of the business unit’s contracts coming from federal or local governments, and approximately 90% when looking at the company as a whole, there was very little experience in pursuing and winning commercial business.
For the first few months, moderate victories were made in expanding the current footprint of the business unit’s federal business. However, given the pressure on the contract pipeline, more needed to be done. During this time I began to regularly attended meetings at the Charleston Business Leads Association (CBLA) in order to ingrain myself into the local business environment and evaluate potential opportunities. It was at a meeting that I spoke to a Boeing employee who informed me of an issue facing him in regards to the …show more content…
After considerable discussion and defining how this deal could be presented, the decision was made to proceed. Although I proposed the idea, it was largely due to very strong business development, contract and pricing teams that enabled a signed contract 10 weeks later. Even though I am no longer with the company, the relationship to provide these services to Boeing still exists to this